Brian Cashman Lets Paul Byrd Pass to Red Sox

Say what you will about the speculative firing of Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, the next baseball executive to walk the plank in New York may be Brian Cashman of the Mets crosstown rivals.


That gleam reflecting off the forward deck of that sinking Yankee clipper ship on the East River Waterfront is coming from the hardened steel sabre of Yankees Co-Chairman Hank Steinbrenner, who watched as Cashman failed to claim Indians hurler Paul Byrd off the waiver wire, thus allowing Byrd to fall to Boston.


How convenient for the Red Sox, whose precarious five-game wild-card lead over the Yankees had just been been seriously jeopardized by the loss of starter Tim Wakefield to his all-too-familiar shoulder problems.


What can Cashman be thinking?


All the Red Sox had to pay was a bag of balls, six cans of chowder and a David Clyde rookie card for Byrd, a playoff experienced, veteran starter with a 1.46 ERA and 4-0 record since the All-Star break. Though 37, Byrd already all season had been a perfectly serviceable option, but suddenly is even more valuable since discovering he can stop surrendering homers by not tipping his pitches.

This is Cashman's second dubious decision, since he, Gene Michael and Stump Merrill were believed to have ganged up on Steinbrenner to talk him out of signing free agent home run king Barry Bonds.

Cashman opted instead to trade for Xavier Nady of the Pirates. There's nothing particularly , wrong with Nady -- and Bonds comes with his share of baggage -- but Cashman had to give up prospect Jeff Karstens to acquire Nady, and all Karstens has done since leaving the Yankees is pitch 15 scoreless innings, including a two-hit complete game.


Bonds would have cost Cashman nothing more than a major league, season pro-rated minimum of $150,000, yet would have been an unmistakable force in the middle of the lineup, providing a desperately needed spark in the Yankees flat, demoralized lineup.

Hopefully Cashman has an explanation that will become evident in the next few days. It had better be good.

Red Sox Land Indians' Byrd

The Red Sox have acquired pitcher Paul Byrd from the Indian.  After placing Tim Wakefield on the 15-day DL, AL wild-card leading Boston felt an increased urgency to add depth to its pitching staff.  It's basically a no-risk move by Boston as all they gave up was cash or a player to be named later.  Byrd got off to a horrendous start this season, but has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break.

Jim 'Mudcat' Grant Likens Barry Bonds to Obama

Former two-time All Star and author Jim "Mudcat" Grant likens home run king Barry Bonds to a high profile politician, explaining that it is as though the former Giants slugger has become a target of mudslinging while standing for public office.

"He's like Barack Obama or John McCain or President Bush or anybody else," Grant, 73, said during his ongoing appearance in Cooperstown, N.Y. for weekend National Baseball Hall of Fame induction activities. "When you run for election you open yourself to all kinds of criticism, abuse and slander -- dirt really."

In an exclusive interview with MLBnewsonline, Grant asserted that Bonds is entitled to a constitutionally guaranteed presumption of innocence of charges that he lied before a federal grand jury. The public should not jump to conclusions, Grant said.

"Barry Bonds says what he says and he's willing to go to court to prove it, and I don't think we have a right to say what is going to be the outcome," Grant said. "When I played people had opinions and opinions were opinions, but nowadays everybody has an opinion and they think they are right. They don't look at it as an opinion anymore. They look at it as if they know what they are talking about."

Grant, who resides in Los Angeles, played for seven major league teams from 1958 to 1971, including a seven-year stint with the Indians. He is the author of "The Black Aces," a book about African American major league pitchers, and was a personal friend of Barry Bonds' father Bobby Bonds, who died in 2003.

"We all (should) think Barry Bonds is innocent; everybody's innocent until you're proven guilty," Grant said. "Barry has a right to defend himself."

Bonds -- currently under consideration to be signed by the Yankees -- is scheduled to go to trial in March on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, but has steadfastly denied knowingly taking steroids. Though he has 756 home runs to his credit, Bonds so far this season has found no takers for his services.

Report: Brewers Land Sabathia

The Brewers and Indians have agreed to a deal that will send C.C. Sabathia, the reigning AL Cy Young winner to Milwaukee.  Cleveland will receive a package of minor leaguers centered around top prospect Matt LaPorta.

Don't Laugh; Aaron Laffey Among Top Rookies

While potential future superstars like the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw or the Reds Edison Volquez make a big splash, 23-year-old Indians lefty Aaron Laffey is quietly riding a heavy, 87-mph fastball and some well-thrown junk into the statistical stratosphere.

It's hard to imagine that the high-flying youngster can avoid what would seem to be an inevitable crash, but so far Laffey must be congratulated.

Among American League rookies, Laffey's 2.83 ERA is third best, as he and battery mate Kelly Shoppach's well-chosen sinkers, curveballs and changeups have induced opponents to ground into a number of seemingly easy outs. It doesn't hurt that the Indians defense has committed the fewest errors in the league to rank second with a .987 fielding percentage, while turning 91 double plays, third best.

Ironically, Laffey failed to impress during a brief introduction last year, with his relatively presentable 4.56 buying him nothing better than a ticket to Triple A Buffalo. But with injuries to Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook, Laffey has been able to make the most of his unexpected quick return to the majors.

While Laffey has been hit hard on the road, he has been untouchable at home, where his ERA stands at 1.39, helping him win an accolade as American League Rookie of the Month for May, as he turned in a 3-2 record with a microscopic 0.79 ERA. Over 34 innings, opponents batted .220 against him for the period.

Laffey's June mark stands at 2.87. He was 7-3 with a 3.28 ERA at Buffalo.

Jody Gerut Underscores Indians Coaching Failure

Former American League Rookie of the Year Jody Gerut -- now with the Padres -- returned to Cleveland for his first game there since being cast aside by the Indians in 2004, going 3-5 with a homer and two RBI to raise his average to .289 and help defeat his former team 8-3.

The re-emergence of the 28-year-old Gerut -- named top rookie by the Sporting News after hitting .279 with 22 homers and 75 RBI in 127 games with the Indians in 2003 -- continues to draw attention to seeming inadequacies in the Indians coaching and scouting staff, which willingly let Gerut get away three years ago.

Gerut's separation from the Tribe is slightly complicated, having been excellerated by his torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2004, and his struggles to recover while playing for Triple A Buffalo.

And yet the fact remains that while Gerut was on the comeback trail he was traded for Cubs outfielder Jason Dubois, the Indians having failed to recognize not only Gerut's remaining potential but his strength of character, tenacity and determination to revive his career.

Ironically, after acquiring Dubois for Gerut the Indians also failed to develop Dubois, who like Gerut had been regarded as a potential star.

If it had been only Gerut whom the Tribe let get away, or just Dubois, that would be one thing. But rightly or wrongly a peculiar pattern can be discerned when one considers that no sooner than the team had acquired top prospect Andy Marte last year -- for instance -- coaches began tinkering with his swing to the point that he hasn't been the same either, though he remains with the team.

Add the cases of Gerut, Dubois and Marte to the Indians handling of second baseman Brandon Phillips, now a star in Cincinnati, and second baseman Josh Barfield, who has spent most of this season in Buffalo, and one cannot help but wonder.

Not only has Barfield failed to succeed under Indians tutelge, but the player traded to acquire him -- third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff -- has done quite well for himself in San Diego, the Indians having nothing to show from that deal either.

Victor Martinez Wastes No Time Starting Rehab

Injured catcher Victor Martinez wasted no time in beginning a post-surgical limbering and motion workout at the Indians training and weight room, then suited up and joined newly acquired backup catcher Yamid Haad in the bullpen as they watched the Tribe fall to the visiting Padres 8-3 at Progressive Field.

Martinez underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove chips from his throwing elbow only 24 hours earlier at the Cleveland Clinic, where Dr. Mark Schickendantz pronounced the procedure successful.

Martinez is expected to be out for up to two months, then undergo an evaluation as to whether he can resume play behind the plate on a limited basis, finish the year mostly at first base, at designated hitter or merely come off the bench.

The possibility -- however remote -- that he would sit out for the remainder of the year has not been ruled out. The performance of catcher Kelly Shoppach -- widely recognized as an outstanding all-around replacement potentially coming into his prime at 28 -- likely will figure prominently in evaluating the best course for the team when Martinez finishes his rehabilitation program.

Fans had been suspicious for weeks after Martinez -- who normally can be counted on for 20-30 homers a year -- had failed to hit a single ball over the fence in more than 200 plate appearances since spring.

Martinez also prompted MLB rumors by sitting out immediately at the end of spring with what he described as a "sore hamstring," even though hamstring injuries are very rare for catchers because catchers stretch in a squatting position for extended periods.

Few have speculated whether the hamstring issue was a cover story to hide the fact that Martinez was having trouble with his throwing arm, a possibility that would tip off opposing base runners that they could steal with impunity. Martinez already had been cited among the weakest throwing catchers even before his elbow trouble was confirmed by a magnetic resonance image.

Though apparently uncomfortable when the season began, Martinez managed to hit enough singles to maintain a .350 average over the next 30 days, yet refused to complain for another two weeks. Finally mounting pain while swinging the bat became more conspicuous as he hit .221 in May and .200 in since June 1, prompting the MRI exam.

Cubs Likely Indians Partner in C.C. Sabathia Trade

It's just so much window dressing now, those lofty Indians pretensions that the team is still competing for a playoff berth this year. Bet on it: the front office inner sanctum is all but ready to trade ace C.C. Sabathia -- in all likelihood to the Cubs -- and get on with a mini-rebuilding plan.

The loss of starting pitchers Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona to the disabled list -- not to mention the lackluster performances of Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner and others -- have only accelerated the need to deal the Sabathia before the trade deadline in order to receive value for him in his walk year.

While a minority opinion will likely be expressed to re-sign Sabathia, his near $100 million price tag puts him beyond reach.

The Cubs remain the most likely trading partner because that's the team with the most trade bait, most notably young starters Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher and Rich Hill, who are widely believed to have been on the block when the Cubs failed in an attempt to acquire second baseman Brian Roberts from the Orioles

A Chance to Shine for Indians Kelly Shoppach

With struggling Indians catcher Victor Martinez having already missed time with a hamstring problem -- and now a sore elbow -- backup catcher Kelly Shoppach at last may be given a long-overdue chance to shine.

One of the best-kept secrets in the majors, Shoppach likely could start for a number of teams, but has been stranded behind Martinez.

Not only can Shoppack hit if given regular at-bats, he calls an intelligent game, is highly athletic behind the plate and has a canon for an arm. Shoppach is a far more effective all-around catcher than Martinez ever thought of being.

Now coming into his own at age 26, Shoppach was a standout prospect in the Red Sox system when acquired from Boston, having hit 49 homers at Triple A Pawtucket. He was much more than a throw-in in the Coco Crisp deal.

Shoppach won the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's top collegiate catcher when he batted .397 with 12 homers in 300 at-bats for the Baylor Bears in 2001.

ID Crisis Cited in C.C.Sabathia's Woe

Ignoring rampant speculation that Cleveland Indians ace C.C. Sabathia's slow start is attributable to overwork last year, Akron Beacon Journal writer Sheldon Ocker has suggested Sabathia's woes may be attributable to an identity crisis.

Sabathia may be trying to rediscover whether he's a crafty lefty or a high-heat hurler, said Ocker, who covers the Indians on a daily basis.

"He used to come in with his 97-mph fastball and just try to blow it past people," Ocker told XM radio host Charlie Steiner. "Then he decided he wanted to mix in off-speed pitches and throw in the low 90s, which worked. Now he might be trying to remember, 'how did I do that?' "

Sabathia's ERA on the young season is 11.57, with an 0-2 record over 14 innings. Many have speculated that Sabathia is suffering from a tired arm after leading the league by throwing what was for him an unprecidented 242 innings last year.

But without him complaining about soreness or fatigue, the slow start remains a mystery, with predictions abounding that it is a matter of time before Sabathia rediscovers his form.

Expect Victor Martinez to Return to Field

The Cleveland Indians suggest that star catcher Victor Martinez -- already available to pinch hit -- will return to full-time play as early as this weekend.

Martinez went down with a hamstring strain in a baserunning mishap, but while the injury looked bad when it happened, catchers rarely sustain serious hamstring problems because their job description requires that they squat long and often -- thus keeping their hammies stretched and in superb condition.

Squat Thrusts Catchers Into Hammy Haven

Cleveland's Victor Martinez's pinch-hit appearance after missing time with a pulled hamstring is hardly surprising considering that Martinez is a catcher.

Catchers -- as a general rule -- have the best conditioned hamstrings in baseball because they are constantly squatting. The squatting stretches the hamstring so much and so often that they seldom experience such an injury -- thus making Martinez's baserunning mishap highly unusual.
Expect Martinez to be back to playing regularly before the end of the weekend, or not much after. Ironically, Martinez doesn't even need his hammy to catch, just to run, which is not a big part of his game.

Indians Try to Ease Pressure for 3B Andy Marte

To build his confidence, Indians backup third baseman Andy Marte has been told he will make the team out of camp even if he continues to struggle at the plate. Still, it's inevitable that Marte cannot be carried on the roster forever, and must show something soon.

A 96-at bat stint in the Dominican Winter League over the offseason seems only to have set Marte back further, as he hit only .198 against often mediocre or undeveloped pitchers. This spring Marte appears to be making better contact, but still has failed to hit with authority as his average continues to founder in the .200 range, although he has hit one homer.

Marte -- once a top prospect in the Atlanta Braves system -- has done nothing but decline since arriving in Cleveland from Boston in the Coco Crisp trade in 2006, with Indians coaches having repeatedly tinkered with his swing.

Having failed in the development of such prospects as Brandon Phillips, Josh Barfield, Jason Dubois and Jody Gerut, it would seem Coach Derek Shelton and other hitting instructors throughout the system are on trial just as much as Marte, especially since Marte is out of options and will be exposed to other teams if Cleveland tries to send him back to Buffalo again.

Would Marte rediscover himself with a change of setting, as did Phillips once he escaped to Cincinnati? The Indians cannot afford to find out.

Expect Rebound from Indians Slugger Travis Hafner

First, forget those silly MLB rumors that Cleveland's Travis Hafner is over the hill at 30.

This notion stems from a popular misconception that Hafner was due for a predictable fall because he developed late, thus his lofty minor league production in effect was inflated against relatively raw opposition.

Bullfeathers!

First of all, the younger Hafner showed plenty of advancement versus his peers when he played his first year of professional ball at age 20, hitting .286 against single A pitching. Within three years he hit .386 with a near .600 slugging percentage, rapidly advancing through the Texas Rangers farm system. Obviously, nothing was lacking, slow or late in Hafner's early development.

What was wrong, however, was a lengthy setback he endured because of an almost crippling weakness in not one but both of his wrists, which caused the Rangers to divert attention away from Hafner and toward youngsters Carlos Pena and Mark Teixeira, foolishly trading Hafner to the Indians for -- get this -- Einer Diaz and Ryan Drese!

By 2006 in Cleveland, Hafner had belted 42 homers while hitting .308 and no one worried about his wrists any longer, especially after Hafner spent the better part of three years rehabilitating and strengthening them.

No, Travis Hafner is no late bloomer destined for a truncated career.

Expect Hafner to return to form again in 2008, hitting for power and average and high run productivity off both left- and right-handed pitching, as he always has done when healthy.

Stop worrying, Cleveland. Of how many other players can it be said that if they hit about .260, with 25-30 homers and at least 90 RBI that they will have had an off year?

David Dellucci Vies to Restore Status in Cleveland

A funny thing happened to the Indians David Dellucci on his way to becoming the near everyday outfielder for the Cleveland Indians -- Franklin Gutierrez.

The third outfielder's spot appears to be Gutierrez's to lose since taking over for Dellucci after Dellucci ripped his hamstring from the bone last year while trying to beat a double-play throw at first base.

When Dellucci tried to return from the injury late in the season, he suffered further setbacks and now will be lucky to win the fourth or fifth outfielder's spot, let alone claim the left-field platoon he shares with Jason Michaels.

Dellucci had only recently started a rehabilitation program at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, so it cannot be certain how soon he can run with complete confidence. Having previously failed when he tried to rush back to action last year, Delucci is proceeding with great caution while trying to run normally.

Always a threat from the left side of the plate, Dellucci has reached the 30-homer threshold before, but one wonders whether he can ever recover his previous form now that he is 35, and whether a fourth or fifth outfield spot might be more suitable for him.

SP Paul Byrd Will Step Out from Under HGH Cloud

Expect Indians hurler Paul Byrd to be cleared of wrongdoing in the steroids/HGH scandals, and be back on the mound before the first Spring Training game.

Though Byrd has admitted to using human growth hormone, he had a legitimate reason to do so and was under the care of a licensed physician at the time.

Surprisingly, not everyone is in agreement that HGH enables players to enhance their performances, with some schools of thought insisting that HGH is of no benefit to mature adults. They scoff -- for instance -- at claims that HGH has caused Barry Bonds' forehead and feet to enlarge, claims that have never been confirmed.

At any rate, HGH can be of great value, especially in combating dwarfism in adolescents and other conditions in grownups, a fact that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig will have taken into consideration when Byrd is cleared by March 1 or sooner.

Alice Cooper Converts His Baseball Skills to Golf

It's hardly a secret, but rocker Alice Cooper has a high profile on golf's pro-am circuit, bringing a 4 handicap to the links thanks to his background as a baseball player.

The owner and operator of "Cooperstown" -- a popular Cleveland restaurant that includes an impressive Indians motif -- Cooper credits baseball for providing a foundation for him to launch his golfing career, and help him escape his addiction to alcohol.

Cooper's newly released memoir -- "Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: a Rock and Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict" -- recalls that Cooper was an outstanding baseball player as a youth, but after devoting his life to music, found himself endangering his health by excessive drinking due to boredom while traveling with his band.

He already knew how to hit a ball, so by staying sober to play up to 36 holes for more than 10 hours a day, Cooper not only stopped drinking but became so skilled that he occasionally shot in the 60s, even outscoring pros. Cooper in shot a 1-under 71 in the FBR Open pro-am in February in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"Everything I do I do to extreme," the 59-year-old Cooper explained in a recent interview with Public Radio International.

When young fans complained that their fathers refused to allow them to attend Cooper's controversial concerts, Cooper would challenge them to a game of golf. If Cooper won, the father would have to buy a concert ticket.

"I would win 90 percent of the time," Cooper said.

Franklin Gutierrez Fails to Win Indians Confidence

Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez has been pleasant surprise for the Indians, performing well in the field and hitting at a better than .300 clip in something approaching full-time play.

However, Gutierrez evidently has failed to win the team's confidence as the pennant drive wears on. The Indians continue to look for a big bat to fill a perceived outfield void, and may consummate a deal as soon as next week.

Gutierrez's teammate, Ben Francisco, has also acquitted himself well, but may find himself part of a package to swing a deal.

Jason Michaels Experiment at an End in Cleveland

Sure, OF Jason Michaels hit .304 for the Phillies in 2005 and was regarded by many as a potential everyday player. But the grim reality of Michaels' limitations became abundantly clear once he arrived in Cleveland, when he was given a chance to play fulll-time but hit just .267 with nine homers.

Obviously, Michaels' nifty batting average in Philadelphia was achieved through cherry picking left-handed pitchers, as he put up his numbers in just 289 at-bats. Now the 30-year-old former 49th round pick must at last resign himself to platooning in left field with the Indians newly acquired left-handed hitting David Dellucci, another Philadelphia castoff and career part-time player.

Splitting time, neither player can be ticketed for anything remotely like stardom. Still, Michaels can draw considerable satisfaction from his new contract for just over $4 million over the next two years, plus a $100,000 signing bonus and a club option for 2009.